Important Announcement

Alberta RCMP change alarm response policy effective July 13

As of July 13, 2018, RCMP in Alberta no longer respond to alarms that are triggered just once, saying the practice has not been a good use of resources.

According to Cpl. Chris Warren, they received 15,500 one-hit alarms last year which took up about 8,000 human resource hours, hours that could have been dedicated to more urgent calls.

A one-hit alarm means one motion censor in a home or business has been tripped, whereas someone illegally entering a building is likely to trip multiple sensors. It is unlikely that someone moving about a property would trigger a one-hit alarm.

RCMP will still respond to ATM, multi-zone intrusion, panic, duress, holdup, glass break, domestic violence and verified alarms, the latter of which include any alarm at a school or financial institution during business hours.

According to Cpl. Chris Warren, they received 15,500 one-hit alarms last year which took up about 8,000 human resource hours, hours that could have been dedicated to more urgent calls.

A one-hit alarm means one motion censor in a home or business has been tripped, whereas someone illegally entering a building is likely to trip multiple sensors. It is unlikely that someone moving about a property would trigger a one-hit alarm.

RCMP will still respond to ATM, multi-zone intrusion, panic, duress, holdup, glass break, domestic violence and verified alarms, the latter of which include any alarm at a school or financial institution during business hours.